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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. vault — a safe
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. present — a gift
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. key — in music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. present — the time now
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — to handle
  21. present — there
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  24. vault — in gymnastics

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com